How Hakka noodles got popular in India

Category: Food & Drink

Chinese food is one of the most popular and in demand cuisines in India which has created its own distinct existence. In India, this vast food spread is nothing like the regional cuisines of China. Indians have created their own mouth watering recipes packed with spicy and fiery flavours. The ever-popular Hakka noodle dish isn't merely a twist to Chinese Cuisine. it is in fact a modification of centuries old Hakka culinary tradition. But what makes Hakka noodles synonymous with Chinese food and where did it originate? The Hakka are a sub-group of Han Chinese people who spoke the ‘Hakka’ dialect of Chinese. They were originally from China’s Northern provinces, but because of social repression and violence they migrated to southern China. In the early decades of the 20th century, due to the First World War and the restrictive Communist policies, the Hakka people were forced to migrate from China to all over the world. In due course of migration, a sizable number of Hakka people sought refuge in the port city of Calcutta and this is how their local cuisine became popular in the city. To differentiate from the traditional Han Chinese cuisine this new wave of Chinese food was called Hakka Chinese food. As trade expanded between Hong Kong and India, in the mid-20th century, many Cantonese speaking people settled in Indian cities like Calcutta, Bombay and Madras and formed Chinatowns. Thanks to the appeal of the Chinatowns, food stalls selling easy to cook and consume Chinese food proliferated. Due to the enterprising nature of the Hakka Chinese, their food preparations got the Hakka prefix and the universally accepted noodles became Hakka noodles. Hakka Noodles are easy to manufacture and cook, which is why there are over 100 vegetarian and non-vegetarian Hakka noodle recipes all over India. In Kolkata, the neighbourhoods of “Tiretta Bazaar” and “Tangra” are popular for Chinese food with numerous food outlets run by Chinese families. Tiretta Bazaar is considered one of the prime locations to savour authentic Hakka Chinese cuisine. Although their number has reduced to a tenth of what it was in the early 19th century, the Sunday morning food bazaar is a big draw for people from all over Calcutta. The aroma of soup noodles and warm dumplings fills the air almost with the rising of the sun. Their hero dishes are steamed baos and fish ball soup. This unique Sunday Hakka food breakfast tradition winds up by 9 AM and it offers a glimpse into the life of Hakka Chinese immigrants. In Mumbai, from Chinese bhel to Schezwan Hakka noodles, you will find countless lip smacking noodle preparations. Chefs and cooks use different kinds of cooking techniques including adding a smokey flavour and sauces like Schezwan (derived from the Chinese word Sichuan) chutney, red sauce, sweet and salty brown sauce. Schezwan sauce or chutney is a staple ingredient in Indian Chinese cuisine made with Sichuan pepper and other herbs and spices, which gives the cuisine a distinct fiery flavour and unique Indian flavour to Chinese cuisine. Hakka noodles are versatile and easily adoptable to every Indian palate and dietary restrictions. If you were to visit any city or small town in India, you are sure to find noodles along with the staple food of rice and parathas.